Top Automotive News & Stories: July 27 - August 3
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Every week we collect the best announcements and events from the world of cars. Here are the unmissable topics from July 27th to August 3rd.
Published a list of the most stolen cars
Every year, the National Crime Bureau compiles Hot Wheels' list of the most stolen cars in America, and their 2015 report has just been released. The most stolen cars are also among the top sellers, which may explain why these models seem to be magnets for thieves.
In third place in the number of thefts in 2015 is the Ford F150 with 29,396 reported thefts. In second place is the Honda Civic 1998 with 49,430 2015 thefts. At 1996, the Most Stolen Car winner was the 52,244 Honda Accord, which had XNUMX reported thefts.
Whether or not your car is on the most stolen list, the Bureau recommends adhering to their "four levels of protection": using common sense and always locking your car, using a visual or audible warning device, installing an immobilizing device such as a remote control. cutting off fuel or buying a tracking device that uses a GPS signal to track your vehicle's every move.
Check out Autoblog to see if your car is in the top XNUMX stolen cars.
Mercedes criticized for misleading advertising
The new 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan is touted as one of the most high-tech vehicles available today. Equipped with cameras and radar sensors, the E-Class has enhanced driver assistance options. To showcase these features, Mercedes created a television ad that showed an E-Class driver taking his hands off the wheel in traffic and adjusting his tie while the car was parked.
This angered Consumer Reports, the Center for Automotive Safety and the American Consumer Federation, who wrote a letter to the Federal Trade Commission criticizing the ad. They said it was misleading and could give consumers a "false sense of security in the vehicle's ability to operate autonomously" given the fact that it does not meet the NHTSA requirements for fully or partially autonomous vehicles. As a result, Mercedes withdrew the advertisement.
Despite significant advances over the past few years, it seems that autonomous driving isn't quite ready for prime time.
Read more in Digital Trends.
BMW restores the King of Rock 'n' Roll's 507
BMW only produced 252 examples of the beautiful 507 roadster, which led to it being one of the rarest BMWs ever built. However, one particular 507 is even more special thanks to its world famous former owner: Elvis Presley.
King drove his 507 when he was stationed in Germany while serving in the US Army in the late 1950s. However, after he sold it, his car sat in a warehouse for over 40 years and fell into disrepair. BMW themselves bought the car and are now in the process of a full factory restoration, including new paint, interior and engine to bring it as close to original as possible.
The finished project will make its debut at the glittering Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Monterey, California later this month.
For a stunning photo gallery of the restoration, visit Carscoops.
Tesla is hard at work on the Gigafactory
All-electric car maker Tesla is moving forward at its new 'Gigafactory' production facility. The Gigafactory, located outside of Sparks, Nevada, will serve as a manufacturing center for batteries for Tesla vehicles.
The company continues to grow, and Tesla says their battery demand will soon outstrip their combined global battery manufacturing capability - hence their decision to build the Gigafactory. What's more, the Gigafactory is planned to be the largest factory in the world, covering over 10 million square feet.
The construction is scheduled to be completed in 2018, after which the Gigafactory will be able to produce batteries for 500,000 electric vehicles per year. Expect to see many more Teslas on the road in the near future.
For a full report and photos of the Gigafactory, head to Jalopnik.
Ford doubles innovative cup holder
Anyone who has driven an old European or Asian car is probably familiar with the limitations of their cup holders. Drinking in a car seems to be an American phenomenon, and for years foreign automakers have struggled to make cup holders that won't spill drink at the slightest turn. While these manufacturers have made progress, American car companies continue to lead the way in cup holder innovation. Case in point: the smart solution in the new Ford Super Duty.
The patented design accommodates up to four cup holders between the front seats, enough to keep any driver comfortable for many miles. When only two drinks are needed, a pull-out panel opens up a storage compartment with plenty of room for snacks. And that's just between the front seats - there are six other cup holders in the cabin, a maximum of 10.
When creating the new Super Duty, Ford seems to have hard-working Americans in mind: in addition to the breakthrough in cup holders, the truck can tow up to 32,500 pounds.
Check out the video of Super Duty transforming coasters on The News Wheel.
Spied on the prototype of the mysterious corvette
Last week we reported on the new Corvette Grand Sport, an enthusiast-focused model that sits between the standard Stingray and the 650-horsepower track-focused Z06.
Now it seems like a new, even more aggressive Corvette is on the horizon, as a heavily camouflaged prototype has been spotted near the General Motors proving ground. No details are known about this future model, but some combination of reduced weight, improved aerodynamics and increased power (ideally all of the above) is expected.
Rumors are starting to circulate that this car will revive the ZR1 nameplate, which has always been reserved for the most extreme Corvettes. Considering that the current Z06 accelerates from zero to 60 km/h in just three seconds, everything Chevrolet is working on is bound to have incredible performance.
More spy shots and speculation can be found on the Car and Driver blog.
